Why Doing Something Different After Work Reduces Stress

More Than Just Watching TV

Keywords: reduce stress after work, evening routine for mental health, stress management, nervous system regulation, work stress recovery

After a long and demanding workday, most of us default to the same routine: collapse onto the sofa, switch on the TV, and let the evening disappear into a blur of episodes. When you’re looking for ways to reduce stress after work, this habit can feel like the easiest option – but it’s not always the most restorative. On the surface, this feels like rest. You’ve earned it. But for many people, this kind of downtime doesn’t actually help stress levels in the long run – and can sometimes leave you feeling flat, restless, or still mentally ‘at work’ when it’s time for bed.

This isn’t about demonising television. It’s about understanding how your nervous system unwinds – and why doing something different after work can be far more effective for reducing stress and supporting your mental wellbeing.

Passive vs Active Relaxation: Why It Matters

Watching TV is what psychologists often describe as passive relaxation. It distracts your attention, but it doesn’t actively engage your brain or body. When stress has built up during the day, distraction alone often isn’t enough to release it.

Active relaxation, on the other hand, gently engages different parts of your nervous system. Activities like walking, stretching, reading, crafting, cooking, or even tidying a small space give your brain a sense of movement and completion. This helps stress hormones such as cortisol reduce more naturally, rather than being temporarily numbed.

Many people notice that after an evening of TV, their mind starts racing the moment the screen goes off. That’s often a sign that stress hasn’t been processed – it’s simply been postponed.

Signalling to Your Brain: “The Workday Is Over”

One of the biggest challenges with modern work is that our brains don’t get a clear ‘off switch’. Emails, notifications, and mental to-do lists blur the boundary between work and rest.

Doing something intentionally different after work acts as a psychological transition. It tells your nervous system: this chapter has closed. Physical movement, creative activity, or even changing environments (like stepping outside) helps your brain shift out of task-focused, problem-solving mode.

Without this signal, work stress can quietly leak into the evening, affecting mood, relationships, and sleep – even if you’ve technically stopped working hours ago.

Screens, Sleep, and Energy Levels

Another factor is sleep quality. Screens emit blue light, which can interfere with melatonin production – the hormone that helps regulate sleep. Beyond the light itself, TV often keeps the brain in a stimulated, externally focused state.

When evenings are filled entirely with screens, many people struggle to feel sleepy at a natural time, or wake feeling unrefreshed. Swapping even part of your TV time for low-stimulation activities can make a noticeable difference.

Gentle movement, stretching, reading, listening to music, or mindful breathing helps your nervous system downshift. Better evenings often lead to better sleep – and better sleep is one of the most powerful stress buffers we have.

The Psychological Boost of Small Achievements

Stress isn’t just about being busy – it’s also about feeling stuck or depleted. Passive activities don’t tend to provide a sense of progress or accomplishment.

Engaging in a hobby, learning something small, or completing a simple task creates a subtle sense of achievement. This boosts dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to motivation and mood. Even small wins – finishing a page, cooking a meal, watering plants – help counterbalance the helplessness that chronic stress can create.

Importantly, this isn’t about productivity or self-improvement. It’s about reminding your brain that you are capable, creative, and more than your work role.

The Role of Social Connection in Stress Reduction

Humans are wired for connection. Meaningful interaction releases oxytocin, a hormone that naturally reduces stress and promotes feelings of safety and belonging.

Even low-key social contact can have a powerful effect: a phone call, a shared meal, a board game, or chatting while doing an activity together. Compared to sitting silently in front of a screen, connection actively supports emotional regulation.

For those who feel isolated or emotionally drained after work, this can be one of the most impactful changes to make.

If Not TV, Then What?

You don’t need to overhaul your entire evening routine. Small, realistic changes are often the most sustainable. You might try:

• Move gently: A short walk, stretching, yoga, or dancing to one song you love.

• Create something: Drawing, journalling, cooking, baking, or trying a simple DIY project.

• Unwind mindfully: Reading, listening to music or a podcast, or practising a simple breathing exercise.

• Connect: Calling a friend, playing a game, or having an unhurried conversation.

Even replacing just 15–30 minutes of TV with a different activity can help your body and mind decompress more fully.

A Note From Me as a Practitioner

In my work as a counsellor, I regularly hear clients say, “I switch the TV on because I’m exhausted – but I still don’t feel rested.” What’s often happening is that their nervous system hasn’t been given the chance to properly settle after a day spent coping, problem‑solving, and holding things together.

Small, intentional changes in the evening can make a disproportionate difference. I’ve seen people improve sleep, reduce irritability, and feel more emotionally present simply by creating a clearer transition between work and rest. This isn’t about adding pressure or doing evenings ‘right’ – it’s about listening to what your body actually needs and responding with kindness rather than collapse.

A More Restorative Evening

Stress reduction isn’t about doing more – it’s about doing things that genuinely help your nervous system settle. Watching TV can still have a place, but when it becomes the only way you unwind, it may not give you the recovery you actually need.

By experimenting with small changes after work, you may notice better sleep, improved mood, and a greater sense of balance. Over time, these small shifts can make a meaningful difference to how you feel – not just in the evenings, but throughout your day.

If stress feels constant or overwhelming, it may also be a sign that your nervous system needs additional support. Talking things through with a professional can help you understand what your stress is communicating and how to respond more effectively.

At Enestee, I work with individuals and organisations to support mental wellbeing, stress regulation, and sustainable change. If this topic resonates, you’re not alone – and help is available.